Wanted: Lead tenants to support young people

We’re seeking expressions of interest from volunteers to be lead tenants in Wangaratta and Wodonga, living rent-free and providing day-to-day guidance and positive role modelling for young people.

Our lead tenants live in homes around north-east Victoria and do not pay utility bills.

The lead tenant works collaboratively with our staff in monitoring and responding to the wellbeing of young people.

Specialist Adolescent Services Manager Rachel Habgood said lead tenants were needed in Wangaratta and Wodonga to support young people leaving Out of Home Care and taking steps towards independent living.

“A good lead tenant is someone who can be a positive influence on a young person’s life and support them to improve their living skills,” she said.

“Lead Tenants receive training and support from our team at Junction Support Services.”

One of our Lead Tenants, Danny, said he decided to volunteer because wanted to support local young people in need.

“Being a Lead Tenant means I can provide advice and support to young people who have not had the same opportunities in life that I have,” he says.

“I get a strong sense of satisfaction and pride in being able to help the young people to build their living skills.”

All of us at Junction Support Services are proud that our organisation this year marks 30 years of changing lives.

Our work started in 1989 in Wangaratta.

A town hall meeting was held by the community in response to the concerns of parents of people with disabilities. They were worried what was going to happen to their children, specifically where they would live, when they as parents passed away.

That meeting led to one program, which was run by one worker to support people who were at risk of homelessness.

Today, 30 years later:

We run 28 programs to support people in need

We have 150 staff

We have an additional 70 volunteers

That first worker, Corienne Krich, is our CEO

And one of the people instrumental in establishing our work, Neville McCormick, remains on our Committee of Management

At our recent AGM, Neville was re-elected to our Committee of Management. Sandra Dalton was re-elected as chairperson, Sherril Hodgens was re-elected as Treasurer and Alby Thomson was re-elected as Secretary. Marianne Franke, Vern Hilditch, Debbie Ireland, Gerard Crothers and Linda Phillis were also re-elected to the Committee of Management.

Sandra said a highlight of 2018 was winning the Albury Wodonga Business Awards category for Employer of Choice – for the second year running – and also the award for Excellence in Health, Education and Disability.

“It is an honour to be chairperson of Junction Support Services and I’d like to thank our CEO Corienne Krich for your hard work, leadership and support,” she said.

“Thank you to our dedicated Committee of Management and our staff for your work, your enthusiasm and commitment to your clients and our mission. The work you do is important.

“And thank you to our 70 awesome volunteers who support young people in our communities.”

Our AGM and Annual Report for 2017-18 had the theme “Working together”, which was in recognition of the way we work with other local agencies and government departments to support individuals and families to achieve their full potential.

About 200 people joined the Community Walk Against Family Violence in Wodonga today (Wednesday).

Wodonga Police stopped traffic for the walk, which was part of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

Organised by Junction Support Services, the Salvation Army and the Department of Health and Human Services, the walk started at St Stephen’s Uniting Church and traveled down High St, finishing in Junction Square with a free barbecue lunch.

Walkers included representatives from Wodonga Police, St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Centre Against Violence, Business Wodonga, Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation, Beyond Housing, Rotary, the Bhutanese Australian Community Support Group, headspace, Hume Riverina Community Legal Service and Restart.

MC for the event was Karen Prater and speakers included Inspector Joy Arbuthnot and Business Wodonga President Graham Jenkin, who spoke about a former colleague who was killed by her ex-boyfriend.

Please join us on Wednesday 5 December in Wodonga for the Community Walk Against Family Violence.

The walk will start at 11am outside St Stephen’s Uniting Church, corner Beechworth Road and Nilmar Avenue, travel down High Street and finish with a FREE barbecue in Junction Place.

Organised by Junction Support Services, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Salvation Army, the Community Walk Against Family Violence is part of the City of Wodonga’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

The event is also supported by Wodonga Police, St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Rotary and Border Trust.

The aim of the walk is to contribute to and generate conversation in the community about family violence, raise awareness of work being done locally to tackle family violence and encourage people to “call it out” when they hear disrespect towards women.

Please join us if you can and wear orange on the day to show your support.

The countdown is on to the FREE Wodonga Children’s Fair this Sunday (28 October 2018). Make sure you visit the Junction Support Services team just inside the main entrance to the fair.

The first Wodonga Children’s Fair was held in 1990 and it now attracts up to 16,000 people a year.

This year’s fair will be held on Sunday 28 October from 10am to 3pm at Wodonga Racecourse, Hamilton Smith Drive.

With free entry, a free shuttle bus to get there and parking for those wishing to drive, there’s no excuse to miss out on all the fun.

Wodonga Children’s Fair celebrates families and young people and acknowledges the huge effort that families put into raising children to be active and healthy and make positive contributions to our community’s well-being.

All the usual favourites return to this year’s fair and they are joined by some exciting new additions with high-octane motorcycle and BMX performances from Flair Action Sports and Wild Action wildlife.

Last year was Junction’s first visit to the children’s fair and we’ll be back bigger and better this year.

Families and Children’s Specialist Services team member Colleen Crispe said the team was working hard to prepare games and activities for children and families on the day.

This year the Families and Children’s Team will be playing with some play dough, there will be a huge tarp with play dough and lots of shapes. They will also be playing in the sand pits, digging for buried treasure, what might the kids find hidden in the sand?

Looking for something a little bit more active? We will also be playing “brain breaks”. There will be a giant colourful dice, with stacks of cards of animals. Match the colour of the card to the dice and kids will move like the animal on the card.

Colleen said we’ll have giveaway bags filled with great stuff to keep kids occupied.

“The bag itself is a Boomerang bag, parents may like to sneakily take the bag once the kids have emptied it of all the goodies and use it for their shopping,” she said. “Thank you to Boomerang bags for supporting Junction with the bags.”

Junction Support Services is a not-for-profit organisation and our mission is to work with individuals and families to support them to achieve their potential.

Charity events run by the team at ANZ Albury Wodonga have raised $100,000 for Junction Support Services and the Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre.

All us at Junction Support Services would like to thank the local ANZ team and to ANZ ambassador Dylan Alcott for helping us to support some of the most disadvantaged people in our community.

A gold medallist Paralympian in wheelchair basketball and tennis and six-time tennis Grand Slam winner, Dylan hosted a tennis event at Wodonga Tennis Centre and was the keynote speaker at a charity auction dinner on 4 October.

A recent winner of the US Open and motivational speaker, Dylan said: I want to help young kids who are just like me, struggling to come to terms with their disability, fulfil their potential and achieve their dreams.”

Junction Support Services chairperson Sandra Dalton said she was overwhelmed by generosity of people on the night of the charity auction and all the businesses small, medium and large that donated goods and services.

“Special thanks to our ‘Friends of Junction’, Lindenwarrah at Milawa, Office Choice, in High Street, Wodonga, Delux Cutz, in Stanley Street, Wodonga, and Caltex, in Melbourne Road Wodonga, for donating prizes,” she said.

“Thanks also to Wodonga Tennis Club for hosting Dylan and children at a fundraising charity tennis event.”ANZ Regional Executive Conor Noonan said the event was another chance for the local business community to support two organisations that contribute greatly to the region’s social and economic strength.

“We’re proud to support both the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre and Junction Support Services which provide essential community services for people struggling with illness or poverty,” he said.

The funds raised are still being tallied and divided up, but – depending on the amount received – Junction plans to support people in need through:

A Helping Hand for Young People FundTo cover the cost of obtaining birth certificates and second-hand furniture and white goods for young people in need
Sandra said: “A lot of young people who come to us having grown up amid the chaos of family violence, alcohol abuse and drug use do not have simple life documentation such as birth certificates. If you don’t have a birth certificate you cannot get your driver’s license or a job.”

A Leaving Care Counselling Fund
To provide psychological support for young people who have been in Out of Home Care because they cannot live with their families or in foster care and need support as they transition to independent living.
Sandra said: “The average age of young people leaving home in Australia is 20-something but young people who have been in the Out of Home Care – some of the most vulnerable young people in our community – leave when they are 18. This fund will allow us to offer much-needed additional psychological counselling.”

A mobile counselling spaceTo take our Families and Children’s workers out to support to the people who need it.
Sandra said: “We’d like to obtain a bus and converted it into a safe space for people in need to connect with us and for us to support them. This would allow us to go to primary schools, secondary schools, community events and reach out to young people in the places that they are.”

• Dylan Alcott’s autobiography Able is due out in November. You can find out more about Dylan and his foundation at dylanalcottfoundation.com.au

Junction Support Services is proud to be joining Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre as beneficiaries of a charity auction dinner and tennis challenge – featuring six-time Grand Slam winner Dylan Alcott – that has been organised by the team at ANZ Albury Wodonga.

Alcott, a Paralympian and recent winner of the US Open, will headline the charity auction dinner and tennis challenge in Wodonga on Thursday 4 October.

Good and services, including travel and food will be up for auction at the charity dinner.

The tennis challenge is a corporate event in which businesses will have the chance to play with or against Dylan at a cost of $50 per person.

ANZ Regional Executive Conor Noonan said the event, which last year raised more than $72,000, was another chance for the local business community to support two organisations that contribute greatly to the region’s social and economic strength.

“We’re proud to support both the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre and Junction Support Services which provide essential community services for people struggling with illness or poverty,” he said.

“We’ve been delighted with the response from local business owners, which has also inspired ANZ’s own CEO Shayne Elliott to donate a boardroom lunch that he will host at our Melbourne headquarters.”

Junction Support Services chairperson Sandra Dalton said: “Every cent that is donated to Junction will go to support local children, young people, adults and families in need because of family violence, homelessness and disadvantage. Thank you to the ANZ Albury Wodonga team for your compassion and commitment to supporting people who are doing it tough.”

A not-for-profit organisation, Junction works with people across north-east Victoria to support them to achieve their potential.

Tickets to the charity auction dinner on Thursday 4 October at The Clubhouse Bar and Bistro in Wodonga are $150 per person, which includes a three-course dinner, drinks, entertainment and the opportunity to hear from Dylan Alcott. Bookings: Ruth McNeill via email Ruth.McNeill@anz.com or on 0421 029 183.

Pictured: Indie School teacher Ria, Tahlia, from Junction Support Services, students Libbity and Amelija and Carevan CEO Stacey

Indie School students have been busy sewing and creating for local adults and children in need.

Indie School provides alternative education for young people aged 15-19 and has campuses in Albury and Wodonga.

Students have made about 90 toiletry bags that will be filled with supplies, about 15 blankets for children and about 20 “raggytaggy” baby comforters for infants.

The toiletry bags will be donated to Carevan, which helps homeless and disadvantaged people, and the children’s blankets and baby comforters will be donated to Junction Support Services to be given to young parents, families who have experienced family violence and children in need.

Indie School Deputy Principal David Pickett said that about 15 of its Albury campus students in the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) program, which is a ‘hands-on’ option for students in Years 11 and 12, had created the items.

“In VCAL we have outcomes and projects like this are a great way to combine practical life skills, and helping the local community,” he said.

The students suggested helping Junction Support and Carevan as they were local charities helping people in the community that they knew and cared about, and whom they had seen have a visible presence around the area.

Coordinating teacher Ria Crisp said: “It’s been amazing to see the students teaching each other, learning new skills, developing patience, even chatting about their own favourite toys and blankets”.

“Their enthusiasm to help others and the way they have supported each other has been wonderful to see. They hear another say ‘I’ve run out of thread’ or ask ‘why is this not working?’ or ‘what’s the next thing I do?’ and I’ve been wonderfully surprised at students just jumping in to help each other out.”

Indie School hopes to expand the project next year with donated fabrics and the current students will be able to do a great job assisting the next group of Year 11 students as they join the class.

The Manager of the Families and Children’s Team at Junction Support Services, Tahlia McCulloch, thanked the Indie School students and teachers for gifts that would be given to children and infants of families in need.

“A handmade meaningful gift can be a wonderful reminder to someone in need that there are people in our community who care,” she said.

Carevan Foundation CEO Stacey Franklin was extremely proud of the students for considering others needs in the community and thinking of practical ways they were able to assist to remove some of the financial burden.

“It is just so pleasing to see youth in the community considerate of the hardships many people are facing and then being able to give back where possible. I personally know that these care packs will be extremely appreciated by those in need.”

Junction Support Services was proud to be part of the 10th Red Carpet Youth Awards. We co-sponsored the Youth Ambassador Award, which was given to an inspiring young woman who arrived in Wodonga as a refugee and is now a community leader.

Junction joined with Albury Wodonga Ethnic Communities Council (AWECC) to sponsor the Youth Ambassador Award, which was given to 17-year-old Atosho (Natasha) Birongo.

A Wodonga Senior Secondary College student, Atosha has represented Victoria as a Young Australian Ambassador for UNICEF, advocating for children and young people and is part of the Multicultural Youth Group Albury-Wodonga.

Atosha’s family fled war in their homeland of Democratic Republic of Congo, became refugees in Kenya and were resettled in Australia through a Humanitarian visa.

The manager of Junction’s Specialist Adolescent Services, Rachel Habgood, said Atosha is an incredibly inspiring young lady who is dedicated to serving the Wodonga community.

“Atosha blew the judging panel away with her passion and dedication to make a difference even in spite of her own life challenges,” Rachel said.

Atosha accepted the award in front of 200 people at The Cube on 3 August.

Run by the City of Wodonga, the Red Carpet Awards recognise and acknowledge the contributions of 14-24 year olds and the difference they make in the Wodonga community.

“It was wonderful to be part of a night that celebrates the incredible achievements of local young people,” Rachel said.
This year’s Red Carpet Awards had 31 finalists.

Thank you Business Edge accountants, which will donate proceeds from upcoming business seminars to help young people who are experiencing homelessness.

The donation coincides with Homelessness Week and will be used by the Youth Team at Junction Support Services to assist young people in need across north-east Victoria with crisis accommodation and other support.

An award winning not-for-profit organisation, Junction assisted more than 550 people of all ages who were experiencing or at risk of homelessness across north-east Victoria in 2016-17.

Business Edge’s Business Development officer Celeste (pictured with Zach from Junction) said the Albury-based accounting firm was proud to use its upcoming business seminars to support local young people in need.

“It’s sad to know there are young people in our community who do not have a safe place to sleep and we’re pleased to be able to join with Junction Support Services to help them,” she said.

Zach, a youth worker with Junction, visited Business Edge to talk about youth homelessness and said most people were vulnerable to homelessness.

“All it takes is one major life event such as a car accident, illness or a sick child and it becomes hard to pay the mortgage or rent. Homelessness can happen to any of us,” he said.

“On behalf of all of us at Junction and our young clients I thank Business Edge for helping some of the most vulnerable young people in our community.”

The first of Business Edge’s Track Your Business to Success seminar will be held on Thursday 9 August, 12pm-1.30pm and more seminars will be held in October. Tickets are $15 and all proceeds will go to Junction Support Services. To register, visit edgea.com.au/events

About Us

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live, and recognise their continuing connection to the land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.